Judge Tressa Alioth poses for a photo inside her courtroom at Douglas County District Court. When she was sworn in last year, she became the first Black woman to be appointed as a district court judge in Nebraska.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Judge Tressa Alioth poses for a photo inside her courtroom at Douglas County District Court. When she was sworn in last year, she became the first Black woman to be appointed as a district court judge in Nebraska.
When Tressa Alioth was sworn in last year, she quietly became the first Black woman to be appointed as a district court judge in Nebraska, a fact even she was surprised to learn.
In their own words: Judges, lawyers, professors discuss diversity in Nebraska's legal community
On Juneteenth, as the country neared Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's swearing-in as the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, the Journal Star reached out to several people on the bench, in the legal community and at Nebraska's law schools to ask their thoughts about diversity in the state's courtrooms.
We asked what drew them to a career in law; how long they've been working in Nebraska and if they plan to stay; why diversity is important in the judicial system and what can be done to foster diversity in the legal community.
"We need to help make the journey to law school more accessible for young people. Many people of color or from diverse backgrounds do not have attorneys in their families or broader friend groups."
"Having an awareness that each individual is different and unique based on a culmination of their life experiences is the foundation of equity and fairness."
"One thing that will improve diversity among attorneys and judges here in Nebraska is to try to retain the diverse law students that attend Nebraska law schools."
"Bringing diversity of skills and experiences to any endeavor can result in a better end-product, whether it is the skill sets needed to build a house or a judicial system."
Judge Tressa Alioth poses for a photo inside her courtroom at Douglas County District Court. When she was sworn in last year, she became the first Black woman to be appointed as a district court judge in Nebraska.
Judge Tressa Alioth poses for a photo inside her courtroom at Douglas County District Court. When she was sworn in last year, she became the first Black woman to be appointed as a district court judge in Nebraska.
